Ola Roadster vs TVS Raider 125: Running Costs Compared

Ola recently launched their Roadster lineup in India, with 3 different variants on offer. The mid-spec Roadster’s 3.5kWh subvariant goes up against the premium 125cc commuter, the TVS Raider 125. In this article we will be analyzing how both compare in terms of running cost.

TVS Raider 125 Running Cost

The TVS Raider 125 is powered by a 124.8cc air-cooled, single-cylinder engine which outputs 11.38PS and 11.2Nm. In our tests the Raider returned a mileage of 71.94kmpl in the city, which is quite impressive.

Running costs wise, with the cost of petrol coming to Rs 104.70 and assuming you travel around 1000km in one month, the total running cost for a month will come to Rs 1,455.37. Not bad for a petrol powered 125cc bike in India.

Ola Roadster 3.5kWh Running Cost

When looking at the Ola Roadster, it is powered by a motor that produces a peak power output of 13kW, which gives it a claimed top speed of 116kmph. The bike is powered by a 3.5kWh battery pack which gives it a claimed range of 151km. 

When calculating the running costs, we first have to take into account the cost of 1 unit of electricity which comes to Rs 11.7 in Maharashtra. The bike takes around 4.6 hours or 4 hours and 36 minutes to charge from 0-80 percent, assuming the Roadster 3.5kWh is able to return 120.8km with 80 percent charge the running cost will come to Rs 53.82 per charge. 

This means that the total costs for running the Roadster 3.5kWh for 1000km a month will cost Rs 448.5.  

Ola Roadster 3.5kWh vs TVS Raider 125

When breaking down the numbers further, we can see that the per kilometer cost of running the Roadster 3.5kWh comes to Rs 0.44. Whereas running costs of the Raider 125 per kilometer comes to Rs 1.45. 

When comparing the two, it is clear that the Ola Roadster offers much cheaper running costs and would save you Rs 1003.5 every month when compared to the TVS Raider 125. That said, it is important to note that the Ola Roadster, although economical, takes up a lot more time to charge than it would to get the TVS Raider 125 refueled. However, with Ola you can easily charge it at your home/office while you at the same time are free to go about with your business. 

As both the bikes are somewhat similarly priced, with the Ola Roadster 3.5kWh coming at a price of Rs 1,04,999 ex-showroom and the TVS Raider 125 SX variant costing Rs 1,03,830 (ex-showroom Delhi). 

So the choice comes down to opting for a petrol scooter that is more convenient to run, with a widespread service network and spare parts available or going for an electric bike which will offer lower running costs.